Written by: Katarzyna Terlecka, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I recently talked to two female friends of mine. They are both intelligent, gifted, and successful women. They work, take care of their family members, and have no space for themselves and their well-being.
They say they don't' have time for that.
While talking to them, I really felt that their bodies and emotions need some attention. Not in a few years when their are grown up, but right now!
Do you resonate with that?
Do you also wait for the right time to take care of yourself and your needs?
When will that right time come for you?
1. Change that story in your head.
As much as I feel for you and can imagine how hard it is to juggle between a job, various obligations, and family life sometimes, I also know that this is all a story that you have in your head. It might differ in terms of details case by case, but it is something along the lines:
"If I want to be a good mother and wife, I need to put my family first."
"I spend so much time at work/ with my professional obligations that I owe my children all my free time."
"I need to devote all my free time and resources to my kids for them to be happy."
I could continue writing, but I am sure that you know what I mean.
Do you know that you base such beliefs on what you were told, taught, or observed when you were a kid? None of them is universally true. And each of them is limiting you and affects your well-being.
What is more important, you can change each of them to a belief that is empowering you.
That makes you feel valuable and loveable, no matter what.
That makes you feel important enough to take care of yourself at least as much as you take care of others.
Once you do that, you will realize how much lighter and joyful you feel. Your body will be healthier. You will feel an authentic you.
2. Do this anytime and anywhere.
Being a former transactional attorney, who used to work 24/7 and felt that eating or sleep is a waste of time sometimes, I also know that the more you think, "I don't have time to take care of myself, I am too busy" the more you and your body need that.
The good news is that you can start with this simple heart coherence technique introduced by HeartMath Institute. It will change how you feel during your busy day. You can do that everywhere – at your desk, between meetings, in a taxi, while taking care of your kids, or cueing in a shop. All you need to do is:
take some deep breaths into your heart area (feel the air coming in and out of the heart)
think of something that you are grateful for or somebody you care about
let this feeling of gratitude, love, or care spread out through your chest
stay with it for few seconds.
Repeat these steps few times during the day and especially when you feel stressed and anxious.
These simple steps will result in your heart sending positive signals to your brain, and the brain will send the relevant signals to your whole body. The hormones, such as cortisol, will start dropping down, you will have more clarity in your mind and start feeling an internal peace—the science research effects of the heart's influence on our brain functions for years.
3. Find some free space on your phone to do this one.
Another technique that you could use to take care of yourself, even if you have no time, is:
create a new folder in your smartphone and call it, for example, "emotions" (or however else you want to call it)
every time you feel any challenging emotion during a day that you cannot or don't' wish to express, write it down in that folder - just one word. Write "angry" if you feel angry at your partner; write "disappointed" if you feel disappointed with the situation at work; write "frustrated" if you have enough of explaining your coworker the same thing a third time, etc.
In this way, instead of pushing down your emotions and storing them in your energetical body that could ultimately lead to some sickness, you are expressing them on the spot.
You are also learning that it is safe for you to express these challenging emotions. Nobody will argue with you, and nobody will try to challenge you and your right to be angry, disappointed, frustrated, etc.
It is safe, and you can do it anytime and everywhere. Observe your body and the effect this technique has on you. It will not only make you feel relief but will enable you to restore balance in your 5th energetic center (so-called throat chakra) that is responsible for self-expression.
Work with Katarzyna!
If you are struggling with finding your inner power, confidence, and self-worth in the professional world or look for more connection with your intuition and inner wisdom, Katarzyna is a coach for you!
Katarzyna Terlecka, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Katarzyna Terlecka is an Authentic Empowerment Coach for career and entrepreneur women. As a former attorney with over twenty years of experience in mergers and acquisitions and working with the top leaders around the world negotiating complex international transactions, she is able to unite highly practical systems with an intuitive energy approach to inspire and empower women in their personal development. Applying active listening, intuitive, energy, and coaching skills, paired with her knowledge of the corporate world and the woman’s role in it, she leads women to discover their unique inner power, activate their intuition and confidence and express the depth of their feminine wisdom.
